Interview: Stooshe Say Bye To Motown, In Pursuit Of R&B Direction

It’s been four years since British girl-group Stooshe released their first Travie McCoy single ‘Love Me,’ from their debut album London with the Lights On. After an 18 month hiatus the girls are finally back and serving us with new music ‘Lock Down‘ and a hot new look!

Last month we met with the ‘Black Heart‘ singing trio to get the tea on their upcoming new music, discuss where they have been & to speak on their identity within POP culture. It’s no secret that today the faces of UK black-cultured R&B groups are missing from the charts… (Although we hear the group All Saints are preparing a comeback). Given that Stooshe have already had two UK Top 5 singles, collaborated on a ‘Waterfalls’ cover with the biggest selling girl-group TLC & received a 2014 World Music Award nomination for World’s Best Album – we could not wait to see how they planned on following their initial buzz with the SOPHOMORE album.

One thing that took our notice is that the girls have now ditched their coloured costume wigs, replacing them with a softer more natural look, also their dancing in their latest video (once it finally got to the desert scene) showcased a diva-fied En Vogue-esp, sexy, more high fashioned look… The ‘Cater 2 U’ music video by Destiny’s Child’s came to mind.

Putting the spotlight on Courtney we dig deeper on the evolution of their new feminine, more ‘sexed-up’ image.

Courtney: I’m very open, being around the girls, the girls we’ve all got different styles but… at the moment it seems to be collectively really working – which we really love and I just think that I might have decided or felt comfortable enough a couple of years ago to put certain things on but having these two

[Interjects in forceful jokey tone] Karis: Put this on, put this on

[All girls laugh]

Courtney: yeah, yeah, but it’s good to have that because you get to try things on that you might not and like things that, I was very open to the ‘desert look’ [referring to the Lock Down music video] – I may not always shut it down in a dress and skirt, but I was like you know what if it looks good for the video and I feel like I’m feeling then… so be it.

[Presenter] Taneisha: Well, we were feeling it too… you looked great!

Speaking on their sophomore album Alexandra confirmed that the group are gearing towards a more R&B POP inspired project, confirming that their untitled LP will be a 2016 summer release & ask the SQUAD (the name they call their fans) to help them by suggesting album title names.

Of course, we end the interview with our Hot Fire Round, where we ask the girls on their favourite drank, to choose their favourite British Soap, if they prefer Kyga or Omeeka & we ask Stooshe to tell us which celebrity they want to lock them down…